Best compromise extractor?

[leverb01507]

I need an extractor for my workshop and having read through lots of previous posts i realise that there is no one extractor that will do everything. However i have around 200 notes to spend on the best compromise i can find, i know this will not be perfect but it will be a start.

The tools i will need to link it to are,
10'' planer thicknesser,
10'' table saw,
router table,
morticer,
bandsaw (soon to be added but probably a model with 10''+ under guides),
and the usual hand power tools including sanders.

The distance from the extractor to the furthest machine will be around 5m.

Can you please also advise on what ducting to use on this system as well as i would like a fully ducted set up with blast gates (the ducting however does not affect the price of the extractor as i have a ready supply of this in varying sizes).

Thanks in advance for your help,
Ben.

 

[wizer]

Probably something like a Camvac. I can never remember which way around they are. But the type of air flow that a camvac provides will do. Obviously a chip extractor is better on a P/T and to some extents a TS. But the Camvac style extractor will be more versatile. I'm not sure there's much in it at your budget. RSDE2, Camvac, etc. My RSDE2 is noisy and I hear that camvacs are quieter, so that might be a selling point for you.

 

[leverb01507]

Thanks wizer, im not really bothered about noise no one lives within 300yards of my shop and the machines are noisey any way so performance is my main concern. Do you use ducting on your exractor or link it to each machine as you go, are you pleased with the way yours performs?
cheers

 

[wizer]

I don't have ducting yet, but intend to. HPLV (looked it up) extractors respond better to ducting. HVLP (Chip Collectors) can be ducted but not over long runs and you get a significant drop in efficiency.

 

[harryc]

I would agree with Wizer that something like the Record or camvac is your best option, however best if you can up your budget to about £300 and go for one of the twin motor models. There is a huge difference in the suck especially if your furthest machine is 5m from the extractor.

harry

 

[woodbloke]

I use the hplv Camvac 386, which is the twin motor, 100mm hose version and I think it's probably the one (or something similar) which will extract from most things, including a p/t, with comparative ease. I intend to build it into an extraction system later on and as it's a powerful vac, the hoses can be reduced without any loss of suck.
It is noisy :shock: :shock: but a Camvac recommended mod is to stuff a couple of long hoses into the output ports on top of the machine and then duct them to somewhere out the way. This cuts down the noise by about 50%. Switches are standard rocker on/offs (no NVR's) so could be used with a remote zapper...definite bonus in a larger 'shop. Air coming out of the machine is also very clean as there's a triple filter system built in. The footprint is also quite small, so it could be tucked happily under a bench.

The only downside is that the drum holds 90L which is not a lot, but that size drum is easy to manhandle around...I just take off the lid, drop over a large plastic sack and tip the chippings and dust into it, shake the main filter outside, re-assemble and then carry on working, takes about 10 mins. Excellent machine in my view...recommended - Rob

 

[The Bear]

Rob

Is there any reason the camvac couldn't be hooked up to a cyclone to increase its capacity (thinking of getting one myself and thats one of my concerns)

Mark

 

[Mike.C]

I use the hplv Camvac 386, which is the twin motor, 100mm hose version and I think it's probably the one (or something similar) which will extract from most things, including a p/t, with comparative ease. I intend to build it into an extraction system later on and as it's a powerful vac, the hoses can be reduced without any loss of suck.
It is noisy :shock: :shock: but a Camvac recommended mod is to stuff a couple of long hoses into the output ports on top of the machine and then duct them to somewhere out the way. This cuts down the noise by about 50%. Switches are standard rocker on/offs (no NVR's) so could be used with a remote zapper...definite bonus in a larger 'shop. Air coming out of the machine is also very clean as there's a triple filter system built in. The footprint is also quite small, so it could be tucked happily under a bench.

The only downside is that the drum holds 90L which is not a lot, but that size drum is easy to manhandle around...I just take off the lid, drop over a large plastic sack and tip the chippings and dust into it, shake the main filter outside, re-assemble and then carry on working, takes about 10 mins. Excellent machine in my view...recommended - Rob

Rob don't you find the drum of your Camvac 386 fills up quickly when connected to a P/T, because being a HPLV it is really made for fine dust. I have the exact same model which also has twin motors, and I find I have to empty it in no time at all.
Yet if I connect it to the blade guard on the top of my table saw and reduce the 100mm pipe down to something like 20mm it collects hardly nothing at all :roll:

Cheers

Mike

 

[woodbloke]

Rob don't you find the drum of your Camvac 386 fills up quickly when connected to a P/T, because being a HPLV it is really made for fine dust. I have the exact same model which also has twin motors, and I find I have to empty it in no time at all.

Mike

Yes, agreed it does fill up rapidly if you do a lot of planing but I bought it knowing that this was the downside of the machine. If you need to do a lot work on the p/t then a dedicated LPHV machine would be better (which is what I had before) You then run into the problem of buying another machine and it's footprint in a smaller 'shop.
For my use, doing the sort of stuff that I do, it's ideal, but if you had gazillions of feet of oak to stuff through a p/t day in, day out it'd clearly not be the right machine.
I think for most hobbyist applications in a smaller 'shop, this sort of extractor is the way forward, but you do have to bear in mind the smaller capacity drum size and be prepared to empty it and shake out the filters on a regular basis - Rob

 

[woodsworth]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Record-Dust-e...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_3?hash=item4a9ee8cd4e

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Record-dust-e...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_3?hash=item27afb858b1

Here's a couple of ideas.

 

[harryc]

Or this one

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RECORD-POWER-DX40 ... 53dff5d77a

 

[woodsworth]

I was looking at that one. After getting the good deal i did on my last one and finding out how well they operate i was thinking about the bigger ones. I have one of those chip extractors so i could use that with the thicknesser and then get a couple of these bucket type ones for the table saw and spindle moulder and then one for hand held power tools. It would still work out cheaper then getting a big cyclone and could be done one at a time instead of one big wack of cash plus ducting!!

 

[TonyF]

Have been browsing the forum ...

I've no idea of your brands or your prices, but after a lot of searching and reading, the compromise I came to (having ruled out a full cyclone only because it would have been unsightly for a neighbour) was to get a 3hp quadruple bag beast (made in China) as the "engine" and coupled it up with what the Americans would call a "trash-can separator".

In essence, one can buy a separator lid to fit a rubbish-bin - the one I bought was from Woodcraft in the US (there are others, but this had the best reviews). I use this as a primary separator or "interceptor" between the machine and the dust collector .... it works as a "poor man's cyclone", and captures all except the finest of dust in the rubbish bin ... which is really easy to empty. That way, my filters have a very low duty ....

When I get around to it, I intend to install a "Thien Separator" to the rubbish bin - this is an ingenious disk fitted inside the rubbish bin (or, for that matter in the semi-cyclonic section of the dust-collector itself) that keeps the deposited sawdust from being disturbed by the cyclonic air movement. I have not got around to it ... because what I have works sufficiently well for the meantime ...

Info on the Thien Separator can be found by looking on the US forum Woodnet.net, do a search for "Phil Thien"

 

[Vinny]

Echo thoughts on the camvac, I have the twin motor 286 (2.5")hooked up to my TS, SCMS and R/T, no problems at all.
I've just been speaking to yandles to see whether a similar wall mounted machine (4") will be OK for an upcoming purchase of P/T, answer was yes - nothing else touches it, he did say that the best thing to do when using it on a P/T would be to get the interceptor lid (fits over a bin) and use a interceptor bin, so that the coarse chippings collect in the larger capacity dustbin while the finer stuff gets handled by the camvac. Seems like a sensible idea to me. Don't think the footprint would be much bigger as the interceptor bin can go under the wall mounted camvac.

vinny

 

[MickCheese]

Axminster do the bin lid separator. The review on the Axminster site says it is a good fit over a 210litre water butt.

http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Axmi ... -21891.htm

Mick

 

[TonyF]

This one from Axminster looks exactly like the one I have ... works well. It should come with a 90 degree elbow that fits inside the lid to direct the infeed air in a tangential rotation. The connectors on mine are 4"/100mm.

Maybe a silly question, but what units of measurement are used in the UK these days? ... we metricated 40 years ago, so although I grew up with imperial measurements, I've got used to metres and millimeters ... and so some things like plans and measuring devices from the US are a bit of a pain ....

 

[Oryxdesign]

I've got a camvac, it's so noisey, in fact noisier than any other machine in my workshop.

 

[woodbloke]

I've got a camvac, it's so noisey, in fact noisier than any other machine in my workshop.

Simon - a Camvac recommended mod is to stuff a suitably sized long hose in the exhaust port(s) on top of the machine and direct them behind a machine or into an odd corner of the 'shop. This will cut down the noise by about 50%. I have the C386 with twin ports on top and the difference it makes is amazing - Rob

 

[Oryxdesign]

I don't know if you noticed when you were here Rob but I fitted mine into a sound insulated base unit in the kitchen with the hose running through the wall and a starter next to the router table / bandsaw. This cuts down the noise by 95% and has the bonus that it nicely heats the kitchen.

 

[RobertMP]

Maybe a silly question, but what units of measurement are used in the UK these days? ... we metricated 40 years ago, so although I grew up with imperial measurements, I've got used to metres and millimeters ... and so some things like plans and measuring devices from the US are a bit of a pain ....

Metric normally with Imperial tolerated for those that must would be my guess. I work and design in metric but if I look at a bit of timber I'd probably think to myself thats about 2 foot 6 long so it will do for my 650mm long component

Has to be an age thing really. My daughter does know what an inch is but to tell her how big something is I have to say it in cm.